1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer telephony, and more particularly to an architecture for providing data to real-time processing nodes in a telecommunications network.
2. Related Art
Service node platforms that provide enhanced call services are common in the telecommunications industry. The modem trend is to design and implement modular service nodes that can be placed anywhere throughout a telecommunications network. A common example of a service node is an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) service node. It is common for a business, that is a customer of a telecommunications service provider, to use IVR services in conjunction with call center services. Interactive Voice Response service nodes are commonly used For customer call center routing. They perform processing of customer applications, based on one or more criteria selected by the customer, such as the dialed number of a call, Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS), Automatic Number Identification (ANI), time of day, caller-entered digits, geographic point of call origin, etc. Interactive Voice Response service nodes can also perform other IVR services such as automated servicing of callers for customers, caller surveys, telemarketing, and call parking until a call center has an available resource (e.g., a customer service agent).
Conventional IVR service nodes require specialized architectures as customers demand more customized IVR applications. Consequently, different types of IVR service nodes are implemented throughout a telecommunications network to handle different customer""s IVR applications. This results in an inefficient network because a call needing a certain application must be routed to a certain IVR service node irrespective of that node""s current load. Therefore, a next generation of service nodes (NGSN) will be designed to provide customized services for many different customers, all on a common platform.
Consequently, the next generation of IVR service nodes will be complex computing platforms containing extensive software designed to perform a great number of functions. There will be much redundancy built into the NGSN node network. Every IVR service will be deployed on at least two different nodes, and most services will be deployed on more than two nodes for both increased reliability through redundancy and increased efficiency of the network (calls can then be routed to the nearest NGSN node). In addition, each node will include at least two completely redundant application servers. Each application server in a node must receive the exact same IVR services.
IVR services that will be deployed include both application and data files. Application files are the programs executed by NGSN application servers to service a call, and data files contain the data used by one or more applications. Data files include audio files for voice recordings and data for specific customer applications (e.g., account numbers, menu options, dealer locations, etc.).
Therefore, a problem is presented in that the service provider must keep applications and data among multiple application servers synchronized. What is needed is a node provisioning system capable of constant and frequent distributions of new applications and data, and in the face of problems such as some nodes being inoperative (xe2x80x9cofflinexe2x80x9d) while others are operational (xe2x80x9conlinexe2x80x9d).
The present invention is directed to a system to provision application and data files to a plurality of real-time processing nodes within a telecommunications network. The system includes a user interface for providing a user with control of the provisioning process via displays and status messages, an interface to a service creation environment (SCE) where the application and data files are created and a database for storing the application and data files. The system also includes configuration management of the application and data files.
The method of the present invention includes the steps of receiving the application and data files from a SCE and storing the application and data files on an application database. The method then receives a command from a user interface, verifies the: command, and analyzes the task to be performed as a result of the command. The method continues by distributing the application and data files to the plurality of real-time processing nodes and maintaining a plurality of state tables to reflect: the state of the application and data files after each of the method""s steps.
An advantage of the present invention is that by centralizing the creation and distribution of application and data files among the network of real-time processing nodes, the data among the nodes is kept uniform.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the use of state tables and a queue manager allows a user to deploy, activate and deactivate IVR services among a plurality of advanced IVR service nodes in a network while maintaining data integrity among the nodes and configuration management of the multiple files for different IVR applications.
Yet still, another advantage of the present invention is that it provides the user with a very simple, high-level command set to perform complex provisioning functions through the use of a graphical user interface. Further features and advantages of the present invention as well as the structure and operation of various (embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.